General
Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Pinyin reflects Mandarin pronunciation; for some dialect names, it is no more than a polite fiction. Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.
Sparrows are among the most familiar of all wild birds in China, being found in large numbers wherever people live. The original name for the sparrows, 雀 , is found in the oldest written materials discovered in China and in later ages came to be used as a synonym for small passerine birds in general. As in the rest of East Asia, the most common sparrow in China is the Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus, but the family is also represented by several other species of 'true sparrow' (Passer) as well as rock sparrows and snow finches.
In the modern vernacular the sparrows are known as 麻雀 , literally 'flax sparrow'. In colloquial northern usage this may also be pronounced . There are a number of other vernacular names for the sparrows, which can be seen in the tables. One traditional name for the sparrows, 黄雀 'yellow sparrow' (still preserved in Japanese as 黄雀 kōjaku), has been ornithologically re-assigned to the siskin (Spinus spinus).
Ornithological naming
Modern ornithological naming is a direct outcome of the earliest ornithological names found in Chinese Birds of 1927 (35), which assigned the sparrows and finches to the Fringillidae (finches). Many species, including all of the current passerids, were named 雀 in that list, including those known as 'sparrows' in English (Passer and Petronia or 'rock sparrows') and those known as 'finches' in English (the genus Montifringilla 'snow finches'). The 'true sparrows' were identified simply as varieties of 雀 , while the rock sparrows were known as 石雀 'stone sparrow' or 'stone finch' and the snow finches as 雪雀 'snow sparrow' or 'snow finch'.
After the three passerid genera were placed with the Ploceidae (weavers), Chinese ornithologists adopted the modern colloquial name 麻雀 , 'flax sparrow' or 'flax finch' for the genus Passer. This generic naming remains unchanged in the recently recognised Passeridae:
1. Members of the genus Passer are known as 麻雀 , 'flax sparrow/finch'.
2. 石雀 'stone sparrow/finch' is used for the genus Petronia.
3. 雪雀 'snow sparrow/finch' is used for the modern genera Montifringilla, Onychostruthus, and Pyrgilauda.
Family name
As Chinese Birds included both sparrows and finches in the Fringillidae, the family name 雀科 què kē was thereafter conventionally used for the Fringillidae.
However, with the recognition of the Passeridae as a separate family, most modern authorities now reassign 雀科 què kē to the Passeridae and rename the Fringillidae as 燕雀科 yàn-què kē, based on the name of the Brambling (genus Fringilla), 燕雀 yàn-què 'swallow finch'.
Taiwanese ornithologists adopt a different solution, continuing to assign 雀科 què kē to the Fringillidae and calling the Passeridae 麻雀科 má-què kē.
Use of the name 雀 què in Chinese
The earliest records of the character 雀 is found in ancient oracle bones dating back as far as 1200 BC. They show a bird with a character meaning 'small' placed above it:
The pronunciation of 雀 (modern reading or ) has been reconstructed as tsɨak in Early Middle Chinese of the 6th century (Pulleyblank). The name is probably onomatopoeic, representing the cheep of a small bird. This is a softer sound than the now homonymous name of the magpie, 鹊 , which has been reconstructed with a breathier onset as tsʰɨak.
In its narrowest sense 雀 què is traditionally understood to mean 'sparrow'. The Shuowen Jiezi of the 2nd century characterises 雀 as a small bird living near people. It was in this meaning that 雀 was adopted into Japanese and given the default kun-reading of suzume 'sparrow'.
While the core meaning is traditionally understood as 'sparrow', 雀 is also found in at least two other senses. One is as a general word meaning 'bird', which can still be seen in fossilised words like 孔雀 'peacock' and 朱雀 'red bird', a large mythical red-coloured bird symbolising the direction south.
A more current meaning is the use of 雀 for small birds in general, as suggested by the structure of the oracle-bone character. This sense was well established in pre-modern times, as in the Imperial Pentaglot Manchu Mirror (37) of the late eighteenth century, which formally divided birds into two groups: 鸟 or larger birds and 雀 or smaller birds. Although it resembles the modern classification into non-passerines and passerines, this division was by no means fully congruent with it.
In non-ornithological or vernacular names, 雀 can be found used for species in such families as the Strigidae (owls), Alcedinidae (kingfishers), Motacillidae (wagtails), Emberizidae (buntings), Estrilididae (munias), Muscicapidae (flycatchers), Sittidae (nuthatches), Sturnidae (starlings), and Sylviidae (parrotbills).
雀 in ornithological naming
Modern ornithological naming patterns generally reflect the expansion and elaboration of early ornithological names.
1. 雀 in the meaning 'finch'
In general, 雀 equates to English 'finch', mainly due to its use for the Fringillidae (more specifically the Fringillinae and Emberizinae) in Chinese Birds of 1927 (35). This naming was facilitated by the traditional use of 雀 for small species, particularly passerine species. The link to 'finch' was reinforced when the Emberizidae became a separate family and were renamed 鹀 'bunting' in Chinese.
雀 is now commonly used in the naming of extralimital species called 'finch' in English. Examples include: the Coal-crested Finch Charitospiza eucosma, a bunting given the Chinese name 煤冠雀 'coal-crested finch', the Sierra finches, buntings given the name 岭雀鹀 'mountainridge-finch-bunting', and the Finch-billed Myna Scissirostrum dubium, known as 雀嘴八哥 'finch-billed myna'. In all cases the Chinese name has been influenced by or is a direct calque of the English name.
2. 雀 in the meaning 'sparrow'
Despite the failure to distinguish 'sparrows' from 'finches', in a number of cases 'sparrow' clearly lies in the background of the use of 雀 . These include:
a) The Passeriformes were originally known as 燕雀目 yàn-què-mù, literally 'swallow-finch-order' (i.e., brambling order), which is still the case on Taiwan. In modern Mainland usage they are known as 雀形目 què-xíng-mù, literally 'sparrow-form-order'. This and the recent reassignment of 雀科 què-kē to the Passeridae treat 雀 què as equivalent to Passer (sparrow).
b) English 'sparrow' clearly existed as a 'cryptic category' behind early Chinese bird naming. For example, 石雀 'stone sparrow' is a calque on English 'rock sparrow' and the name of the Java Sparrow (Estrildidae), 爪哇雀 zhǎowā-què 'Java sparrow', is also a calque on English. 雀 què is also used for extralimital species known as 'sparrows' in English. One example is the Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca, a New World bunting known in one Chinese list as 狐色雀鹀 hú-sè què-wú 'fox-coloured sparrow-bunting'. The use of 雀 here is based on the English name.
c) The later renaming of the genus Passer to the vernacular name 麻雀 'flax sparrow/finch' is an attempt to set 'sparrows' clearly apart from other birds called 雀 .
d) A number of genera in the Alcidae are known as 海雀 'sea sparrow', a borrowing from Japanese 海雀 umi-suzume 'sea-sparrow', which identifies these species as 'sparrows of the sea'.
e) Contrary to appearances, 雀鹰 'sparrow hawk' (Accipitridae) is not a calque on English 'sparrowhawk' but an old Chinese name. The name is possibly based on these species' small size and brown colouring.
In all of these cases, the use of 雀 is based on something other than an identification with the finches.
3. 雀 in the meaning 'tit'
Chinese Birds used 山雀 shān-què for all birds known as 'tits' in English, including the Paridae, Aegithalidae, Remizidae, Paradoxornithidae, and Panuridae. This is possibly based on the Japanese name of the Varied Tit, which is ヤマガラ yamagara, written 山雀 'mountain sparrow'. The scope of 山雀 shān-què was later restricted to only two groups: the genus Parus (now split among several genera) and the family Aegithalidae (long-tailed tits).
All other species names have since been reduced to 雀 in Chinese, including some members of the Paridae, the Remizidae, the 'crow-tits' (Sylviidae, now called 'parrotbills' in English), the 'tit-warblers' in the Aegithalidae, and the 'tit-babblers' in the Sylviidae and Timaliidae). In all of these, 雀 is equivalent to English 'tit'.
4. 雀 in other passerine families
a) Besides the Fringillidae, Chinese Birds used 雀 for the Certhiidae (woodcreepers), which were called 旋木雀 'tree-circling sparrow/finch'. At the time this included Tichodroma (wallcreepers), which were known as 旋壁雀 'wall-circling sparrow/finch'. The background and origin of these names is unclear.
b) Although Chinese Birds did not use 雀 for the Estrildidae, the Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava) was later called by the old vernacular name 梅花雀 'plum-flower-finch', which has since given its name to the family. Apart from species called 'munias', many extralimital members of the Estrildidae are known as 雀 . However, this can mostly be attributed to the occurrence of 'finch' in their English names.
c) 连雀 lián-què, literally 'linked-finch', appears to be an old Chinese name for the waxwings. It continues to be used in Japanese, which possibly led to its revival in Chinese naming. It is now restricted in ornithological usage to the extralimital Hypocoliidae, a family which is very similar to the waxwings.
5. 雀 as a general name for small passerines
Apart from the examples given above, 雀 is used extensively as a convenient way of creating new bird names, especially for extralimital species which have no existing Chinese name. In such cases there is no way of assigning names to 'sparrow' or 'finch'. One example is the Vireonidae, known as the 莺雀科 'warbler sparrow/finch family'.
This naming also affects some domestic species, such as the Ploceidae, which one authority has renamed 织雀 'weaving sparrow/finch'.
6. 雀 in 孔雀 kǒng-què 'peacock'
Finally, 雀 is also used in the old traditional name 孔雀 kǒng-què 'peacock', where it corresponds to the broader meaning of 'bird'. Apart from the peacocks (genus Pavo), 孔雀 kǒng-què is also used in the names of the peacock-pheasants, a direct calque on the English naming.
CULTURAL
One of the alternative Chinese names for the Tree Sparrow, 王母使者 'emissary of the queen mother', relates to a story from ancient China. Yang Bao was a man of great moral integrity. In his childhood, he found an injured 'yellow sparrow' (黄雀 ) which he rescued and nursed back to health. One night a boy dressed in yellow appeared to Yang Bao saying he was a servant of the Queen Mother of the West. While on a mission to the fairy land in the east he had been attacked by a bird of prey and owed his life to Yang Bao. The boy gave Yang Bao four rings, guaranteeing that four generations of his family would rise to high rank.
Species names
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
EAST |
SOUTH | NORTH |
||||
Passer | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
Passer ammodendri |
Saxaul sparrow | 黑顶麻雀 (黑頂麻雀) 'black-capped sparrow' or 西域麻雀 (西域麻雀) 'Western region sparrow' (alt in 1) |
西域雀 (西域雀) 'Western-region sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
ノウメンスズメ (能面雀) nō-men suzume 'Noh mask sparrow' (bird's face resembles mask used in traditional Noh theatre) |
Загийн боршувуу ᠵᠠᠭ ᠦᠨ ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ zagiŋ bor-shuvuu 'saxaul dun-bird' Inner M: Хар оройт болжмор ᠬᠠᠷᠠ ᠣᠷᠣᠢᠢᠲᠣ ᠪᠣᠯᠵᠣᠮᠣᠷ khar oroit boljmor 'black-capped sparrow' (31, 33) |
|||
Passer domesticus |
House sparrow | 家麻雀 (家麻雀) 'house sparrow' |
イエスズメ (家雀) ie suzume 'house sparrow' |
집참새 jip-cham-sae 'house sparrow bird' |
Оронгийн боршувуу ᠣᠷᠣᠨ ᠦ ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ oroŋgiŋ bor-shuvuu 'house dun-bird' Inner M: Гэрийн Бялзуухай ᠭᠡᠷ ᠦᠨ ᠪᠢᠯᠵᠣᠣᠬᠠᠢ geriŋ byalzuukhai 'house sparrow' (33) or Орны бор шувуу ᠣᠷᠣᠨ ᠦ ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ orni bor shuvuu 'house dun-bird' (33) IM also: Болжмор ᠪᠣᠯᠵᠣᠮᠣᠷ boljmor 'sparrow' (31) or Бялзуухай ᠪᠢᠯᠵᠣᠣᠬᠠᠢ byalzuukhai 'sparrow' (31) |
|||
Passer hispaniolensis |
Spanish sparrow Willow sparrow |
黑胸麻雀 (黑胸麻雀) 'black-breasted sparrow' |
スペインスズメ (スペイン雀) supein suzume 'Spanish sparrow' |
|||||
Passer cinnamomeus Passer rutilans |
Russet sparrow Cinnamon sparrow Ruddy sparrow |
山麻雀 (山麻雀) 'mountain sparrow' |
(山麻雀) 山麻雀 'mountain sparrow' |
山麻雀 (山麻雀) 'mountain sparrow' (southern) (35) 黄雀 (黄雀) 'yellow sparrow' 红雀 (紅雀) 'red sparrow' (also Schoeniclus rutilus, Erythrina erythrina, and Amandava amandava) (early ornithological) (35) 桂色雀 (桂色雀) 'cinnamon-coloured sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) 类似雀 (類似雀) 'similar sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) 赭麻雀 (赭麻雀) 'brownish sparrow' 山只只 (山只只) 'mountain zhi zhi' |
ニュウナイスズメ (入内雀) nyūnai suzume 'enter court sparrow' |
섬참새 seom-cham-sae 'island sparrow bird' |
Chim Sẻ hung 'reddish sparrow (bird)' (12, 13, 34) |
Inner M: Хадны болжмор ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠨ ᠦ ᠪᠥᠯᠵᠮᠥᠷ khadni boljmor 'rock sparrow' (31) (conflicts with Petronia petronia) |
Passer montanus |
Eurasian tree sparrow Tree sparrow |
麻雀 (麻雀) 'sparrow' or 树麻雀 (樹麻雀) 'tree sparrow' (alt in 1, 3) |
(麻雀) 麻雀 'sparrow' |
树雀 (樹雀) 'tree sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) 麻雀儿 (麻雀兒) 'sparrow' 家雀 (家雀) 'house sparrow' (northern) (35) 家雀儿 (家雀兒) 'house sparrow' (dialect) 琉麻雀 (琉麻雀) 'glazed sparrow' 老家贼 (老家賊) 'old house thief' (dialect) 老家子 (老家子) 'old house fellow' 老雀子 (老雀子) 'old sparrow' 王母使者 (王母使者) 'emissary of the queen mother' 宾雀 (賓雀) 'guest sparrow' 瓦雀 (瓦雀) 'tile sparrow' 只只 (只只) 'zhi zhi' 厝鸟 (厝鳥) 'house-bird' (dialect) 照夜、麻谷、南麻雀、禾雀、砉鹑;屋角鸟、屋檐鸟、壮阳鸟 |
スズメ (雀) suzume 'sparrow' |
참새 cham-sae 'sparrow bird' |
Chim Sẻ 'sparrow (bird)' (12, 13, 34) |
Хээрийн боршувуу ᠬᠡᠬᠡᠷᠠ ᠶᠢᠨ ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᠰᠢᠪᠠᠭᠣ kheeriŋ bor-shuvuu 'wild dun-bird' Inner M: Модон болжмор ᠮᠣᠳᠣᠨ ᠪᠣᠯᠵᠣᠮᠣᠷ modoŋ boljmor 'tree sparrow' (33) or Бор болжмор ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᠪᠣᠯᠵᠣᠮᠣᠷ bor boljmor 'dun sparrow' (31, 33) or Бор бялзуухай ᠪᠣᠷᠣ ᠪᠢᠯᠵᠣᠣᠬᠠᠢ bor byalzuukhai 'dun finch' (33) |
Petronia | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
Petronia petronia |
Rock sparrow Streaked rock sparrow Rock petronia |
石雀 (石雀) 'stone sparrow' |
石雀 (石雀) 'stone sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
イワスズメ (岩雀) iwa suzume 'rock sparrow' |
Хадны боршуу ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠨ ᠦ ᠪᠣᠷᠣᠱᠣᠣ ? khadni borshuu 'rock sparrow (variant form)' Inner M: Хадан болжмор ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠨ ᠪᠣᠯᠵᠣᠮᠣᠷ khadaŋ boljmor 'rock sparrow' (33) IM also: Хадны болжмор ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠨ ᠦ ᠪᠥᠯᠵᠮᠥᠷ khadni boljmor 'rock sparrow' (31) (conflicts with Passer rutilans) |
|||
Montifringilla | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
Montifringilla nivalis |
White-winged snowfinch White-winged snow finch Snow finch |
白斑翅雪雀 (白斑翅雪雀) 'white stripe-winged snow sparrow' |
ユキスズメ (雪雀) yuki-suzume 'snow sparrow' |
Цасны богшоодой ᠴᠠᠰᠣᠨ ᠦ ᠪᠣᠭᠱᠣᠣᠳᠠᠢ tsasni bogshoodoi 'snow bogshoodoi' |
||||
Montifringilla adamsi |
Black-winged snowfinch Tibetan snowfinch Adams' snow finch |
褐翅雪雀 (褐翅雪雀) 'brown-winged snow sparrow' |
西玛拉雪雀 (西瑪拉雪雀) 'Himalayan snow-sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
ハジロユキスズメ (羽白雪雀) ha-jiro yuki-suzume 'white-winged snow sparrow' |
||||
Onychostruthus | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
Onychostruthus taczanowskii Pyrgilauda taczanowskii Montifringilla taczanowskii |
White-rumped snowfinch Mandelli's snow finch |
白腰雪雀 (白腰雪雀) 'white-rumped snow sparrow' |
白臀雪雀 (白臀雪雀) 'white-bottomed snow-sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
コシジロユキスズメ (腰白雪雀) koshi-jiro yuki-suzume 'white-rumped snow sparrow' |
||||
Pyrgilauda | ||||||||
Latin |
English |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Mongolian |
Pyrgilauda davidiana Montifringilla davidiana |
Père David's Snowfinch Père David's Snow Finch Small snowfinch David's snow finch |
黑喉雪雀 (黑喉雪雀) 'black-throated snow sparrow' |
蒙古雪雀 (蒙古雪雀) 'Mongolian snow-sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
モウコユキスズメ (蒙古雪雀) mōko yuki-suzume 'Mongolian snow sparrow' |
Монгол божирог ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠪᠣᠵᠢᠷᠭᠠ moŋgol bojirog 'Mongolian bojirog' Inner M: Хар хоолойт цагаан болжмор ᠬᠠᠷᠠ ᠬᠣᠭᠣᠯᠠᠢᠢᠲᠣ ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠪᠣᠯᠵᠣᠮᠣᠷ khar khooloit tsagaan boljmor 'black-throated white sparrow' (31, 33) |
|||
Pyrgilauda ruficollis Montifringilla ruficollis |
Rufous-necked snowfinch Red-necked snow finch |
棕颈雪雀 (棕頸雪雀) 'reddishbrown-necked snow sparrow' |
红脖雪雀 (紅脖雪雀) 'red-throated snow-sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
チャミミユキスズメ (茶耳雪雀) cha-mimi yuki-suzume 'brown-eared snow sparrow' |
||||
Pyrgilauda blanfordi Montifringilla blanfordii |
Blanford's snow finch Plain-backed snowfinch |
棕背雪雀 (棕背雪雀) 'reddishbrown-backed snow sparrow' |
白颊雪雀 (白頰雪雀) 'white-cheeked snow-sparrow' (early ornithological) (35) |
ノドグロユキスズメ (喉黒雪雀) nodo-guro yuki-suzume 'black-throated snow sparrow' |
The name for the sparrows is one of the great dividers between Mongolian and Inner Mongolian usage. The general term for 'sparrow' in Mongolia is Бор шувуу bor shuvuu 'dun bird'; in Inner Mongolian usage the normal terms are Болжмор boljmor and Бялзуухай byalzuukhai. This has far-reaching effects for passerine naming. In Inner Mongolia, partially under Chinese influence, the names Болжмор and Бялзуухай byalzuukhai are used not only for sparrows but also in general passerine bird names. In Mongolia, on the other hand, these two terms have gone to take on more specialised meanings. Болжмор boljmor is used for larks while Бялзуухай byalzuukhai is used generally for small passerines other than sparrows.
ニュウナイ nyū-nai means 'entry into the Imperial court'. According to legend, the poet Fujiwara no Sanekata was exiled to the wilds of Tohoku after an incident at court and died before he could return to Kyoto. The appearance at this time of a sparrow at the Imperial court which consumed whole bowls of rice gave rise to rumours that the 'court-entering sparrow' was Sanekata’s aggrieved soul. Sanekata was also linked to the devastation of crops by sparrows. Passer cinnamomeus, which breeds in the northeast and descends on rice fields around the country in autumn, is thus known as ニュウナイスズメ nyū-nai suzume.
中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全(修订版) 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000
中国鸟类野外手册(中文版)约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯,合作者:荷芬奇,翻译:卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000
Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999
Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000
汉蒙名词术语分类词典(自然科学部分) Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990
Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000
内蒙古动物志 (第四卷 鸟纲 雀形目) Fauna Inner Mongolia (Volume 4 Aves Passerines), 主编:旭日干 (Chief Editor: Xurigan), 内蒙古人大学版社 (Inner Mongolian University Press), Hohhot 2015
Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009
Chinese Birds (A Tentative List of Chinese Birds) 中國鳥類(中國鳥類目錄試編) N. Gist Gee, Lacy I. Moffett, G. D. Wilder (祁天錫, 慕維德, 萬卓志), Peiping, 1927 (reprinted 1948)